sunset from behind the wire

Monday, February 8, 2016

This is not a comment on the millions of military age male refugees who have flooded into Europe, putting unreasonable demands on the social welfare states there (they want "money for nothing and chicks for free"). They will remain in Europe sucking down free kabob and raping the local ladies on their way to and from work and the mothers taking their children to soccer practice (referred to as 'western whores' in Islam).

On 7 February, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced it was ready to supply ground troops to help support and train an international military coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria, provided such efforts were led by the United States.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said, "I think that this has been our position throughout ... that a real campaign against Daesh (ISIL) has to include ground elements... We are not talking about a thousand troops, but we are talking about troops on the ground that will lead the way, that will train, that will support ... And I think our position remains the same and we will have to see how this progresses. Of course an American leadership in this effort is a pre-requisite," Gargash said.

The UAE is the second Gulf State to declare its readiness to commit ground troops to the fight against ISIL in Syria. Saudi Arabia made an even stronger declaration on 4 February. The Saudi and Emirates leaders apparently have decided that the most efficient way to build an Arab coalition against terrorism, as announced on 15 December, is to join the existing Coalition.

Syrian state media today reported on 6 February that the military had “returned security and stability to the town of Ataman,” a small town just north of the Jordanian border, and near the main city on that border, Dara’a, which was where the initial protests leading to the civil war were held.

This is a continuation of the offensive operation that began around 25 January. The government objective is to take Dara’a. Ataman/Athman is only 4 kms from the city center of Dara’a. Past attempts to recapture the south have stalled after running short of supplies. The latest offensive has lasted two weeks and continues to make progress.

The fact that Syrian government and allied forces are maintaining two strategically important offensive operations simultaneously is a good measure of the health of the regime at this time. Syrian forces are having success fighting on two major fronts. It also is significant that both offensives are on Syria’s periphery. Violent instability begins and ends on the periphery. The Syrian government has stopped collapsing and falling inward and is now expanding outward to the national boundaries in the western part of Syria. Much of this reversal has to do with Russian support of the regime, which also wiped out the CIA's program near Ataman and Dara'a, designed to replace Assad. Russian airpower disrupted the American clandestine effort (not really very secret these days) and Syrian ground troops, backed by Cubans in tanks helped to push that effort back into Jordan.

Once the Russians entered with a limited ground force and airpower, the resistance both US backed and ISIL/Daesh has been diminished. The US has a horse in the race with the Kurds in the eastern portion of Syria and Iraq, but the Kurds don't have the manpower or will to take over Syria. They just grow opium in their little corner of the world and sell it to US markets (in New Hampshire) and elsewhere. Strange how all this connects, isn't it?

I think that a sovereign Syria is a good thing in the short term. It will stem the flood of military age male refugees and at the same time will check ISIL. The US is embarrassed, but when you consider that Obama-Clinton-Kerry have been running the foreign policy ship on the rocks, it's not surprising.

Happy New Year to all those of you who observe the Lunar New Year, set off firecrackers, bark at the moon and burn hell money.

As those of you who know me understand, I have a number of friends who are Buddhists and attach sacred (sorta) significance to the blooming new year. I'm definitely not a Buddhist, though I was just named to be chief financial officer to a Buddhist trust last week. I asked "why me". They said a Buddhist would ignore responsibility, give money away or go on a retreat, allowing disaster to befall the stupa and surroundings. Maybe I'm better off not being Buddhist given all that.

Some cynics say that today is also the day when we should honor all of the flying monkeys who attend and advise Hillary Clinton.

Housekeeping

As of January 1, 2017 this blog began to receive anonymous posts. I try not to delete them, but if you want to be taken seriously here, you need to identify yourself, if only by some sort of cryptonym.

Welcome to Virtual Mirage

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can't help that," said the cat. "We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad."

"How do you know I'm mad," asked Alice?

"You must be," said the cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Good Morning

Virtual Mirage - What's on the other side of the mirror? Ask Alice how deep the rabbit hole really goes.

This blog is an extension of MY JOURNEY because sometimes my journey needs more explanation, and sometimes there is more to be said than can be expressed on one ordinary blog.

Sometimes it's politics (very serious), sometimes I address the human condition with a dose of humor, and other times it may seem as if the track is headed in a unique direction. I can be a complicated guy at times.

There are a few things you'll find I consider:

* Absence of proof is not proof of absence.

* Sometimes the questions are complex but the answers are simple.

* Love is the only condition where the happiness of another person is essential to your own.

* Steers do not sign treaties with meat packers. (think on that)

* Taxes are NEVER levied for the benefit of the taxed.

* The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no victory possible in defense.

WHITE POWDER (Novel)

There is something intoxicating about a secret.

THE OLD WHORE (NOVEL)

In the peculiar culture of the Central Intelligence Agency, "old whores" are people who will do whatever it takes to get the job done, irrespective of the cost.

EXILES FROM EDEN (NOVEL)

Sparks fly as two star-crossed lovers meet. He runs toward trouble as she yearns for something missing. And it ends in a flight from and toward justice.

About Me

Today, I balance work and play as much as anyone can. All things remaining equal, play is more important. Life is short - it's important to make every day count for something, if only to yourself.
I'm a former tinker/tailor/soldier/sailor who has now decided that maybe it really wasn't all done for nothing.

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